Apparatus for recapping shell primers



March 17, 1964 J. A. KIESS, JR

' APPARATUS FOR RECAPPING SHELL PRIMERS 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Oct. 31. 1961 March 17, 1964 1555, JR 3,124,994

APPARATUS FOR RECAPPING SHELL PRIMERS Filed Oct. 31, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofifice 3,124,994 APPARATUS FGR RECAPPING SEELL PR limes A. Kiess, Ira, 42 Bayberry Lane, Groton, Conn- Filed Oct. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 148,939 1 Claim. (Cl. 8636) The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reloading shell primers and more particularly for reloading shot gun shell primers.

The primer capping device which forms the subject matter of the present invention is concerned with the reconditioning of primers of the general type employed, for example, in shotgun shells.

A primer of the type referred to comprises a primer cup, within which are housed an anvil and a firing cap. The primer cup is formed at its outer end with an aperture to receive the anvil and at its inner end with an aperture through which the exploding cap acts to set off the main powder charge of the shell. 7

The operations required for reconditioning the used primer consist first in the ejection of the burnt out cap which is accomplished by driving the anvil housed within the primer cup outwardly a sufiicient distance to force the used cap out of the cup. The next step in the operation is the repositioning of the anvil in its normal position against the inwardly turned lip at the inner end of the primer cup. A further step in the operation consists in the forcing of a new percussion cap into the outer end of the primer cup so that the cap is closely adjacent the pointed tip of the anvil.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a suitable method and apparatus for recapping shell primers which includes the steps of ejecting the used cap, of resetting the anvil in its proper position, and thereafter of positioning a new cap in the primer cup.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel apparatus capable of carrying out the steps of applicants method of reloading shell primers including separate die and anvil sets suitable for performing each of the several operations.

With the above stated and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a primer recapping apparatus embodying the several features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail sectional view of the fully reconditioned recapped primer assembled in a shotgun shell;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the die used for the used cap ejecting operation;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on a line 44 of FIG. 3 of the die shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view in side elevation of the primer decapping tool and die assembly including the primer and used cap ejected therefrom;

FIG. 6 is a somewhat fragmentary view in side elevation of the anvil resetting tool and die assembly, the parts including the primer and anvil being shown in position prior to the anvil resetting operation; and

FIG. 7 is a somewhat fragmentary view in side elevation of the primer cap setting tool and die assembly, the primer and cap being shown in an exploded position, and prior to the recapping operation.

Referring to the drawings, the primer recapping apparatus comprises a base supporting a vertical column 22 on which is mounted a horizontally disposed anvil supporting plate 24 and a vertically movable tool supporting plate 26. Movement of the plate 26 is effected by means of a manually operable lever 28 connected by two straps 30 to a block 32 on the plate 26 and at its outer end connected by means of a pivot pin 34 to the upper end of the 3,124,994 iatented Mar. 17, 1964 column 22. The movable plate 26 is guided and is prevented from lateral dislocation during vertical movement on the column 22 by means of two alignment rods 36, 33 which are secured to the movable tool supporting plate 26 and extend downwardly through apertures formed in the anvil plate 24.

The illustrated primer recapping apparatus is provided with three separate tool and anvil sets, one such set being provided for each of the primer decapping, anvil setting, and primer recapping operations. The tools and their cooperating anvils are mounted on the plates 26 and 24 respectively to be rendered simultaneously operative when the hand lever 23 is depressed moving the tool supporting plate 26 downwardly into operating position.

The primer which is to be recapped as best shown in FIG. 2 comprises a primer cup 30 open at both ends and having at its outer end an outwardly extending flange 32 and at its inner end an inwardly extending lip 34. The cup 34 houses an anvil 46 which when properly set has the inner end thereof engaged against the lip 34 of the primer cup, and further has a pointed outer end adapted for contact with a percussion primer cap 48.

The decapping tool and die set comprises a decapping tool 5@ adjustably mounted by means of a set screw not shown in a vertical bore in the tool supporting plate 26, and a cooperating die 54 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5) which is arranged to receive the primer cup in an upside down position, that is, with the outer end thereof facing downwardly. The die 54 is formed with a lower portion of reduced diameter to fit into a bore in the anvil plate 24, with an internal bore 56 through which the used primer cap is ejected, and with an annular recess 58 of slightly larger diameter at the upper end to receive the flanged outer end of the primer cup 36).

A downward movement of the decapping tool 50, when the manual lever 28 is operated, causes the tool 50 to enter the primer cup 30 and to engage with and drive the anvil 46 downwardly a sufficient distance to eject the burnt out cap, but without ejecting the anvil.

The decapped primer is now transferred to an anvil resetting tool and die set for the operation of resetting the anvil within the primer cup. Said anvil resetting tool 60 comprises a stem of substantial diameter which is vertically adjustable in a bore in the tool supporting plate 26 and is secured in position by means of a set screw not shown. The lower end of said tool is of reduced diameter to permit insertion of the tool into the primer cap 39, and is shaped to fit over the pointed end of the anvil 46. The length of the reduced portion of the tool is gaged to permit entry of the tool into the primer cup just far enough to reset the anvil so that the inner end thereof is engaged with the inwardly extending lip 34 of the primer cup 30.

The die 64 associated with the anvil resetting tool 60 is provided at its lower end with a reduced portion which is fitted into a bore in the die supporting block 24. An internal bore 68 is provided of a diameter to receive the inner end of the primer cap. A downward extension of said bore 68 of small diameter provides a relief port for the die. A coiled spring 70 seated within the bore 68 provides a convenient means for ejecting the primer cup 34 from the die upon completion of the anvil resetting operation.

The primer cup 3%) with the anvil 46 properly reset therein is now transferred to the primer recapping tool and die set for the final primer recapping stage of the operation in which the new cap 48 is driven downwardly into the outer end of the primer cup to the position shown in FIG. 2. The recapping tool 74 comprises a stem fitted within a bore in the tool supporting plate 26 and held adjustably in position by means of a set screw 76. The die 77 is provided with an internal bore 78 of a diameter to receive the primer cup 3%, said bore having a downward extension of smaller diameter providing a relief port. An ejector spring 80 is provided-for ejecting the recapped primer from the die upon completion of the recapping operation.

The illustrated apparatus for reconditioning and recapping used primers is constructed and arrmged to permit the three separate operations of decapping, of repositioning the anvil Within the primer cup, and the final operation of forcing a live cap into position within the primer cup to be carried on simultaneously on three different primer reconditioning tool and die assemblies.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the apparatus shown within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and that such changes are contemplated as may be necessary to adapt the apparatus shown for the recapping of shell primers of dilferent types and sizes.

The invention having been described what is claimed is:

Apparatus for reconditioning and recapping shell primers of the general type comprising a primer cup, and an anvil and primer cap within said cup, having, in combination, a base, a tool support and a die support relatively movable on said base toward and away from one another, a primer cap ejector device comprising a used primer cap ejector tool on said tool support, and a primer cup supporting die aligned with said ejector tool on said die support arranged for supporting thereon a cup with the inner end thereof toward the cap ejector tool, an anvil relocating device comprising an anvil relocating tool on the tool support adapted to enter the outer end of a primer cup, and a cup supporting die on said die support aligned with said relocating tool on which a primer cup is supported with the outer end toward the anvil relocating tool, and a primer recapping device comprising a recapping tool mounted on said tool support and a primer cup supporting die on said die support aligned with said recapping tool on which said cup is supported with the outer end toward the recapping tool, and a manual control lever pivoted on said base and connected with one of said supports for effecting the relative movement of said supports between a retracted and an advanced operating position to effect a simultaneous operation of the respective tools.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Spencer Sept. 13, 1927 OTHER REFERENCES 

